] The search is on for more than $US6 billion ($10 billion)] that the United States believes Saddam Hussein and his] inner circle have stashed around the globe. ] ] "Today we launched a financial offensive against the] regime of Saddam Hussein," said the US Treasury] Secretary, John Snow.

] The French military could help the United States if Iraq] uses biological or chemical weapons against U.S.-led] invaders, the French Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.]] France has led opposition to U.S. war plans in Iraq, but] the Foreign Ministry said Iraqi use of biological or] chemical weapons in a war could change France's position.

"The fighters here say that the weapons of the United States and Britain may be lethal, but they are martyrdom-seekers. In this case, they say, the U.S. forces may confront a case that is very unusual to them," al-Umari reported. "Those martyrdom-seekers aspire to change the shape of the looming war."

] The man who spoke Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s] words in English during a CBS interview with Dan Rather] late last month was an actor using a fake Arabic accent,] the Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday. ]] The paper said Steve Winfield is a member of the Screen] Actors Guild (news - web sites) who bills himself on a] Web site called "Fabulous Voices" as an expert in putting] on foreign accents.

In a prepared message marking the Islamic New Year, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on Tuesday said his nation will be "victorious against aggression."

"And in this day from the beginning of the new Islamic year," Saddam said, "it is without doubt that the faithful will be victorious against aggression and against all things, against those who are faithful." ---

Saddam better pull out all his goodies out of his bags, because he is going to need them.

Lattes aren't the only steamy things at Starbucks these days. Much to the chagrin of Seattle-based Starbucks Corp., Playboy Magazine has issued an alert: "Calling all coffee-making cuties!" to pose nude for an upcoming issue featuring the "Women of Starbucks." With the application process already percolating, the chain of more than 6,200 coffee shops worldwide, is anything but thrilled with the cattle call by the adult magazine to its coffee-making employees, known as baristas.

] A rare snow storm swept across the Middle East Tuesday,] cutting off power and closing roads and schools in] Israel, Palestinian territories, Syria, Lebanon and] Jordan. ]] ] The storm was expected to continue until Wednesday,] delivering the heaviest snow the region has seen since] 1950. ]] ] By midmorning Tuesday, one foot had fallen in Jerusalem.] Snow also covered northern Israel, the hills of the West] Bank and the mountains of Lebanon.

] President Bush today outlined an expansive vision of a] postwar Iraq, speaking of toppling Iraqi President Saddam] Hussein as a lesson to other American foes and of turning] the country into a model of Middle East democracy and] prosperity.] ...] At a time when the administration is facing nuclear challenges ] from North Korea and Iran, Bush spoke of using Hussein's undoing ] as an example to others. "By defeating this threat, we will show ] other dictators that the path of aggression will lead to their ] own ruin," he said.] The president's remarks stepped up an effort begun in recent days ] to demonstrate to critics the U.S. commitment to rebuilding a ] postwar Iraq. "A free Iraq can be a source of hope for all the ] Middle East," Bush said today. "Instead of threatening its ] neighbors and harboring terrorists, Iraq can be an example of ] progress and prosperity in a region that needs both.

Decius and I were just talking about this last night. What will happen to that region is there is a "free" country to live in.

] The Bush administration plans to take complete,] unilateral control of a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, with an] interim administration headed by a yet-to-be named] American civilian who would direct the reconstruction of] the country and the creation of a "representative" Iraqi] government, according to a now-finalized blueprint] described by U.S. officials and other sources.

] He said he was jailed for 11 years by Saddam's regime for] refusing to develop banned weapons but that he escaped] from Iraq in 1991. He now lives in London. ] ] Shahristani said his information came from former] colleagues and dissidents who had recently fled the] country.

I am not really all that interested in hearing the suspicions of someone who hasn't even been in Iraq for over 12 years. As for the colleagues and dissidents that he mentions, I *am* interested in hearing what they have to say. Supposedly, there are recent defectors that we are getting this information from. How about getting one of them to come forward to the media? Disguise their voice, their face if necessary, but get them to give a statement, in their native language, with translations available.

It is my firm belief that one of the main causes of a rift between the Arab and Western worlds, is the language barrier. As difficult as it is for us to read what's going on in Arabic newspapers, it's doubly difficult for the people on the street there to understand what we're saying in ours! If we do have sources of information about Saddam's weapons, that can be presented in language that the Iraqi people can understand, let's present it. I'm sure they'd be far more interested to hear such news from someone speaking in their native tongue, and would give it far more weight, than just hearing it from an english-speaking politican.

*I* know to trust most of what I hear from Colin Powell. They, however, have not had the opportunity to build up that level of trust. Let's figure out a way for them to get the news from someone they *do* trust, speaking a language that even the common people can understand.